When you take a closer look at Costa Rica’s President Laura Fernández—her style, her moves— it’s hard not to wonder, is it all a show, a charade if you will, or is she the real deal?
Since Fernández took office on May 8, Costa Rica’s political scene has been buzzing with a new kind of energy. She’s got a bold presence—many call it shouting, definitely loud enough to stir things up—and her unconventional way of doing politics has sparked a debate. Is she just putting on a show to win over the public, or is she genuinely trying to change the country’s future?
I’m leaning toward it being more of a show—a bit of a smoke and mirrors act aimed at convincing the Chavista supporters, to make them believe that Rodrigo Chaves and Laura Fernández are fighting crime.
Take Monday’s revelation about the polygraph tests: the whole thing feels like a charade. There are ministers and lawmakers, mostly from the ruling party Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO), who have criminal cases hanging over them. Yet Fernández hasn’t asked any of them to step down, not during the campaign, not now.
Look at legislator Cindy Murillo. She voted for a law that directly benefits her family’s business—her father, mother, sister, and even herself, since she sits on the board of the company owning the hotel involved. That’s a textbook case of legislating for personal gain, breaking Article 48 of the Ley Contra la Corrupción en la Función Pública (Law Against Corruption in Public Service). But she didn’t just abstain; she voted in favor, fully aware of the benefits for her family.
Despite all that being public knowledge and clearly a breach of ethical duty, Fernández hasn’t pushed her to resign or step aside from her seat in the Legislative Assembly.
Meanwhile, seven police chiefs are being fired—not charged with any crimes—because they “failed” a polygraph test. But their names and the test results haven’t been made public. And from what it looks like, they didn’t get a chance to have those results reviewed by an independent expert. They weren’t suspended while under investigation; no, they were outright fired.
The word used by the president was “despedidos” (fired). That rings a bell, doesn’t it?
So, how do we square that with Fernández’s silence on more serious issues like the legislator’s conflict of interest?
It’s hard not to be skeptical, especially when she asks us to trust that she and her two vice-presidents, Francisco Gamboa and Douglas Soto, passed their polygraph tests.
Curiously, her now former president and “super” minister has not been asked to take the polygraph. If Rodrigo passes it, they’re in bad shape.
Some of Fernández’s policies lack depth or are too ambitious to be practical, making you wonder if the flashy style is just a cover for weak governance. Still, her supporters argue she’s breaking through political deadlock and giving hope to people tired of the same old politics.
The real test will be in the results.
So, what’s your take on this?
* With notes from Libertad Y Propiedad II’s social media post